The Temporary Roommate
by cosmictrap
Summary: Coach leaves for jury duty and the guys decide to find themselves a short-term roommate. They do find one & Nick finds himself annoyed at her for reasons he won't tell anyone. The only thing that keeps him going is that she's there for only eight weeks and when she leaves he can just forget about her and her "annoying" self. But when it comes to Nick, it's never really that simple.


**A/N:** **I'm really sorry for posting another fic. Are y'all tired of me yet? Lol. Either ways, this will be the last new fic I'll post for a while and hold off till I get the other fics I have going substantially done. I swear. Please bear with me one last time, and nothing new for a while after. Only updates.**

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 **PROLOGUE**

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Nick stood at the window of Coach's room, and looked out thoughtfully, wondering who would possibly occupy this room in his absence. Schmidt had said that one of the applicants they were interviewing today was a woman and he grimaced at the thought. Living with a woman, no matter how temporary, was not an idea he was particularly fond of.

His thoughts are interrupted by a loud "Ouch!" and as he automatically searched for the source of the sound, he found it to be a woman who had just walked into the glass doors of the building. He could only see the top of her head, and her hair was cascading down her back - rich, dark brown tresses. She was wearing a red dress, and he watched with amusement as she bumped into the glass door again, muttering something about glasses. She looked up and down the road, and her face shot up momentarily as she squinted into the sun, probably looking for someone.

Nick felt his breath catch in his throat as he took in her face. She was pale as ivory and her features were so delicate that it felt like just touching her would break them. Her eyes were a shade of blue that he'd only about in books, and her lips look like they've been painted on her face by Renaissance artists.

He stared at her dumbfoundedly, frozen in his spot, hoping against hope that she hadn't seen him. She obviously hadn't seen him because she turned back to bumping into the door for a few more seconds before she finally managed to get in. He cannot help the chuckle that escaped him because as she entered the building, she let out a laugh and screamed, "Victory!"

Shaking his head, he stepped out of the bedroom to his own. He closed the door behind him, and was just about to sink into his bed, when the doorbell rang. He sighed when as he heard Schmidt scream for someone to get the "damn door". He started to head out, and heard the door to Winston's bedroom open as well.

On his way to the main door, Schmidt jumps out of his bedroom as well, smelling like hair product and cologne. Nick scrunched his nose at the smell as he reached the main door, and shook his head disapprovingly against his best friend.

" _Both you heathens better behave!"_ hissed Schmidt as he stood behind Nick just as Winston appeared in the hallway.

Nick rolled his eyes at them as he opened the door and is immediately taken aback, his breath caught in his throat. _Taken aback_ was probably an understatement. It was the same woman he'd seen downstairs, and up close, her eyes seem bluer, and she looked like a little fairy out of a book.

 _What is wrong with me!_

"Er, hi," he said, immediately worrying that he sounded a little breathless.

"Hi," she replied. "Jessica Day. But you can call me Jess." She held her hand out and her smile was so wide and genuine that Nick found himself wondering how someone could be that happy.

"Nick," he said lamely.

"Fool," muttered Schmidt from behind him, and extended his hand to meet her outstretched one. "Hello, Ms. Day. I'm Winston Schmidt. This is Nicholas Miller and that is Winston Bishop."

"Oh!" she exclaimed, laughter already in her voice. "Two Winstons!"

"Yes, it is indeed hilarious but I go by Schmidt," he explained. "Just Schmidt."

"Okay then, Just Schmidt," Jess joked as Schmidt stepped aside to let her in while Winston chuckled slightly.

As she passed him, Nick decided that she smelled like citrus with a touch of vanilla, and proceeded to thank god that Schmidt couldn't hear his thoughts. They proceeded to sit in the living area for the "interview".

In the forty-five minutes that followed, they found out that Jess was talkative. Quite, _quite_ talkative. Each question had an almost essay-like answer, perfectly planned - a beginning, middle and an end and they knew a lot about her life.

"... My boyfriend was a pharmaceutical sales rep. He had to keep travelling all over the country, so I kept moving with him, you know? _For six years,_ can you believe it? I hated it, but I loved _him_ so compromise and stuff, you know?. But I couldn't even get a job anywhere because being a teacher is serious commitment… and I just love kids. Kids are the best. Anyway, so _las_ t week, when he told me we were moving _again_ , I kicked him out and slammed the door in his face."

Pause.

"Okay, no, that's a lie. I actually asked him if we could just settle down and he said something about his career being important. He called me selfish for asking him to give that up, can you believe it! And I-I got so _angry_... "

Sniffle.

"... that I cried a lot. You see, I cry when I'm angry, so... Then, _I_ stormed out and told him I'd never see his face again. But I forgot to take my stuff, but I _did_ say I'd never see his face, so I couldn't go back, _obviously_ -"

"Yeah, _obviously,_ " said Schmidt, gaping at her.

Jess blinked in surprise and blushed. "Oh, I'm sorry, what was your question again?"

"Uh, do you have any pets?"

"Oh, right," nodded Jess. "So as I was saying, since I moved a lot over the last few years, I couldn't really keep a pet," she finished remorsefully.

"Yes, right, okay. Makes complete sense," said Schmidt hastily, and continued apprehensively. "And um, last question. Feel free to be er, _brief_."

Jess nodded and frowned slightly in concentration. Schmidt turned to Nick. "Nick, you wanna take this one?"

Jess's eyes darted to Nick for a second. "Huh? What?" said Nick, looking at Schmidt quickly and clearing his throat. "No. No, no, I'm good. Go ahead, Schmidtty."

Schmidt rolled his eyes and turned to look at Jess, as does Nick, and he finds that she's still looking at him. Nick was sure that she'd held his gaze for a few seconds and he could swear he could see a pale pink colour rise in her cheeks, but Schmidt chose that moment to proceed with his last question.

"I'm honestly just curious," started Schmidt, and Nick prayed that it wouldn't be a ridiculously offensive question, wishing that he'd paid attention when they were discussing the questions. "How are you okay living with three strange men, as temporary as the situation might be?"

"Oh, that's easy," she laughed. "The school I teach at is close by and I can actually _afford_ this place. And I'm sure if you guys were the murderer-types, I'd be dead already, right?"

She pauses, looking expectantly at them for an answer.

"Right..." replied Winston, slightly unsure.

"Great, that's what I thought! And anyway, my best friend stays close by too. I'd stay with her, but her roommate is _too_ much for me to handle. But Nadia's moving out in like, two months, so once she's moved out, I can move in with Cece. Although, I'm still sort of worried about that, you know? I love Cece, but her model friends? I _cannot_ handle-"

" _Model_ friends?" Schmidt interrupted with controlled glee.

"Yeah. Cece's a model, so-"

"Okay, that's all I needed to know. Now, if you'll excuse us Ms. Day, I-"

"It's Jess," she cut in.

"Er, what?" asked Schmidt, cocking his head to one side.

"I mean, call me _Jess. '_ Ms. Day' makes me feel like I'm a teacher. I mean, I _am_ but not to you," she said, laughing nervously.

"Okay. Okay, _Jess_. Give us minute, to discuss this. Feel free to look around while we're gone."

"Sure," she shrugged, and stood up as the rest of the guys did.

As they left, Nick shot her a look over his shoulder and was amused to see that she was looking around the loft with unabashed curiosity. He was still staring when she caught his eye again and stood still. She gave him a small smile, which he returned nervously and then, felt a sharp pain on the back of his head as Schmidt landed his neatly on the spot.

"I'm coming," he muttered indignantly, turning around and following Schmidt to the bathroom, all the while complaining that he really didn't see why they had to go to the _bathroom_ to do decide.

Once they were inside, Schmidt bolted the door and turned around, looking questioningly at them.

"She's _crazy_ ," said Winston. "I like her."

"Great, I think she should move in too. On account of her model best friend if not anything else," said Schmidt. "That's settled then, I see. We have ourselves a new temporary roommate."

"Hey, what about _my_ vote?" asked Nick indignantly.

Schmidt looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Oh, please Nick. I _know_ your vote is yes. I mean, for someone who was against living with a girl-roommate, you didn't ask her a single question, man."

"Yeah, 'cause _you_ asked everything that needed to be asked," said Nick defiantly.

Winston started shaking his head, a corner of his lips tugging into a knowing half-smile.

"Oh, is _that_ why?" asked Schmidt in mock surprise. "So, it is safe to say that Little Nick does not want to, you know, shake things up a little with her?"

"What, no! Blech!" said Nick. "Not at all, not at all. Why would you even… That's absurd Schmidt."

"Okay," said Schmidt. "Then you wouldn't mind signing the No-Nail Oath that I have already started to draft mentally, the hard copy of which you'll receive by tonight?"

"I will sign no such thing!"

"Ha! Then Little Nick _does_ have a thing for her," stated Schmidt triumphantly.

Nick grimaced. "Fine, I'll do it."

"I'm warning you, it's binding," promised Schmidt, before he left the bathroom to tell Jess the "good news" and as he left, Nick was sure he had muttered "fool" again.

Nick stared after him in annoyance and turned back around to find Winston still shaking his head at him with a knowing smile.

 _"What?"_

"I know you know that that shit ain't binding," said Winston pointedly, still smiling at him.

"Shut up, Winston," muttered Nick, and hurried out of the bathroom before he could say anything.

As he made a beeline to his room, ignoring the mild pang of envy as he saw an excited Jess give Schmidt a quick hug before she left. He shut the door behind him loudly, starting to feel somewhat annoyed at both himself and _her_.

Who did she think she was, just traipsing into the loft with those big blue ( _really_ blue) eyes in that dumb (but pretty) red dress and stupid (but unbelievably genuine) smile and-

 _Dammit._

He was thankful that this was temporary and before he knew it, two months would fly by, Coach would be back, Jess would be gone, and he could just pretend like none of _this_ , whatever it was, had never happened.

But the universe liked a good laugh. Of course it wouldn't be that simple.

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 **A/N:** **As for the #NewGirlTuesdays and #FixItFridays, I've decided I won't do it after all. I thought deadlines would help me write, but they've just increased my anxiety issues. Too much stress, lol.**

 **I know this part is very similar to the pilot, but the small changes in the first chapter will play a huge-ass role later.**

 **Anyway, leave reviews and let me know what you think.**


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